2 O'clock and Ready for the Rain
by WednesdayJones
Summary: Four friends, torn apart by grief. She can see the Thestrals, he wants to die, he's lost in guilt, and she's moved on. Be strong, or give up, it's their choice, either way. It's 2 o'clock and they're ready for the rain The last in the Time Trilogy, foll


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Four friends, torn apart by grief. She can see the Thestrals, he wants to die, he's lost in guilt, and she's moved on. Be strong, or give up, it's their choice, either way. It's 2 o'clock and they're ready for the rain - The last in the Time Trilogy, following on from 'Midnight' and 'Sunrise'.

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_DUMBLEDORE ASSASINATED!_

_**Granger and Malfoy await trial**_

_Yesterday evening Albus Dumbledore, the highly esteemed of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was murdered in his office by Muggle-born, Hermione Granger and Pureblood heir, Draco Malfoy. _

_Granger, best friend to our saviour, The-Boy-Who-Lived, gave herself up late last night to the authorities when she had learned that Malfoy, son of known Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, had been apprehended by Aurors and would be charged with the murder. _

_Both of the killers were recently graduated students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Granger, a Gryffindor; Malfoy, a Slytherin), and were among those who were awarded for being in the top ten of their year group – Granger was first, while Malfoy came fifth, one place after Harry Potter. _

_The two ruthless killers were caught in the act by previous Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts (now appointed Headmistress), Minerva McGonagall, who was on her way to speak to Dumbledore about the end of year feast. Apparently, both were seen and heard standing over the aging Headmaster, screaming the words of the killing curse. When McGonagall made her presence known, both killers fled through the fireplace. _

_McGonagall was too broken up at the death of her long time friend and mentor to speak to us personally, but Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw House, told us that the whole school was "in shock at the news. Not only did someone take away our beloved Headmaster, but the culprits were two of his former students and friends of Harry Potter."_

_We wonder if Mr Potter, who also finished his education at Hogwarts this year, knew that his best friend of seven years had turned to the dark side and consorting with known Dark sympathisers such as the Malfoy heir. If so, why was he protecting her? Isn't he the one who has been prophesied to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? Is Harry Potter himself a traitor of the Light side? We can only speculate._

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__****OBITUARY**

**_Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore_**

_(Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Order of Merlin, First Class (x2); Chief Warlock; Supreme Wugmump, International Confederation of Wizards; Defeater of Lord Grindelwald)_

_8th October, 1845 – 17th May, 1997_

_Aged 152 Years_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

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I always wanted to see the thestrals. When Harry could see them at the beginning of his fifth year, my fourth, I always wanted to know what those creatures looked like, I just never asked. **

Now I find myself wishing with all of my heart that they were invisible once more.

A Muggle song I heard a few days ago spoke of "a generation drenched in hate". We are that and more. Hate is one thing, but we, all of us, are drenched in death. I wonder what our lives would have been like if we hadn't seen so many people slain, if we hadn't been forced to kill just to live. If we couldn't see the thestrals.

In a fairytale, we would live happily ever after. But that doesn't exist here – there is no fairytale.

One the memorial statue that stands by the lake on the grounds of Hogwarts, above the names of the dead is written: "Casualties of War." There should be a few hundred more names written under that banner. All of our names should be added to that list, for we are all casualties of war in our own ways. A part of all us has died. How could it not when we lost so many friends, saw so many lives cut too short.

However, if only a few names could be added, I think four more should most definitely be added.

My brother's name, Ronald Billius Weasley, should be up there, underneath my father's. His name should be there because he isn't alive anymore. Sure, he breathes, moves and occasionally eats and sleeps, but in his heart, he isn't alive. How could he be? He lost the love of his life and has mourned her ever since. I just wished he understood that you can't find peace by avoiding life.

The man I love's name should be up there: Harry James Potter. I don't think he has really ever lived. Not since he was a year old, since he was marked for death for just being born to parents who refused to submit. For being innocent enough not to die. For losing almost everyone he has ever loved before turning twenty. He his heart has already gone to his grave, years before his body will join it.

Draco Malfoy's name should be up there. Like Harry, I think he was born just to die, but for different reasons. He was a causality of the second war before it even began, thanks to his father. Taught for all of his childhood to hate Muggleborns and to revere Tom Riddle could really only lead to one thing – an early grave. I wonder if his father, if he were alive today, would be proud of his son. Would he be proud of the way his child turned out, a murder, a traitor, a dead man?

Finally, I think her name should be up there, the name they fear saying almost as much as they feared saying Riddle's name. Hermione Jane Granger. She gave up her life because of her blood, because of a cause that she stepped into the middle of. She may have betrayed us all, but that just makes her even more of a victim than the rest of us. She is a testament to what war can do to a person, how it can change and distort your soul, your very being so badly that you refuse to care if you live or die.

As I'm standing here, in front of that massive stone obelisk, on the grounds of the place I spent my childhood, I put up a shield charm to protect me from the elements – two o'clock in the afternoon and I am ready for the rain. I look over the names; I see those that are missing more than I see those that are already there.

Before I go, I leave you this last piece of advice: Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. When you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You'll be dead soon.

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__****KILLERS CONVICTED!**

_**Malfoy commits suicide**_

_Yesterday morning, in one of the most eagerly anticipated trials of the decade, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy were found unanimously found guilty of the murder of Albus Dumbledore, who at the same time was posthumously given another Order of Merlin First Class for his leadership efforts in the war. _

_The trial lasted just two hours and the jury took only ten minutes to pass down the verdict of guilty. It was Amelia Bones, Acting-Chief Warlock and stand-in for Minister of Magic, who announced the jury's decision to the courtroom and to two of his former students. _

_Granger and Malfoy, both present, did not seem to be at all affected by the news that they were to be sent to Azkaban to await the Dementor's Kiss. In fact, it was Harry Potter who voiced his feeling of injustice; not surprising since his one best friend had just been convicted of murder. _

_Just one day after being dragged off to his new home, Azkaban, a source told me that Draco Malfoy had somehow gotten hold of a wand and performed the killing curse. On himself. My source said that she saw him being carried back out of the prison, pale, limp and most obviously dead. "It was terrible," she wailed. "I mean I know he was a killer and follower of You-Know-Who, but he was just a boy. A seventeen year old boy. What a terrible way to go."We, at the Prophet, agree that it was a terrible end for Malfoy, but only because he deserved worse for the crimes he and his family committed against the Wizarding World. _

_What we would like to know is why he killed himself? Perhaps the presence of Dementors would bring back past transgressions and wrongs. Perhaps his time as a servant of The Dark Lord had come to an end. Perhaps it was the Dark Lord or one of his followers who actually killed Malfoy. We will never know. _

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__****OBITUARY**

_**Draco Lucius Malfoy**_

_(Slytherin; Death Eater)_

_15th June, 1980 – 20th June, 1997_

_Aged 17 Years_

_Azkaban Prison_

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I've been sitting in this chair, staring at my wand for three days, only moving to go to the toilet. Don't want to eat, drink or sleep. I just want her. I keep wondering if someone can used the killing curse on themselves - would it still work the same, a quick and painless death? If it did work, would I be able to see her again? Could we be together for eternity? The price I'd have to pay - death - seems worth it to me. It's something I'd pay in an instance. I always thought I would follow her up to the gates of Hell if I had to. And that, once arriving there, I would beg the gatekeeper to take me instead of hers. And if he must take her, I would ask to go with her. And if he would not let me come, I would wait on the shores of the river. I promised to watch over her and follow her always. I promised never to leave you, Hermione. I never thought that death might prevent me. Not my death, but yours. **

Harry knows something.

I know he knows because every so often he walks in here and goes to say something, before shutting his mouth and walking back out again. I don't know what it is he knows, but he knows something and he's not telling. Is it about her? Does he know what happened? Why won't he tell me? Was it his fault? Was he the one who took her away from me? Does he think I'll blame him? Because he'd be right. I would, you know. I would hate him for taking her away from me like, for making it so we could never be together again, for…

God, I can't even say it. I used to find myself longing and waiting for the future to come. Now I long and wait for the past to come back to me

Perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to get angry at Harry. Maybe he knows nothing about her incarceration. Maybe he just wants to talk about her. I don't. I'm not ready. Perhaps I'll never be ready to talk. He made need to, but I don't. I wonder if forgetting about her would be the best thing. If I forgot that I ever met her, became friends with her, fell in love with her, would I be able to live the rest of my life in peace? Doubt it. I don't think memory charms could cover all of that. Although it seemed to work on Lockhart.

I've moved over to the window, slowly because my legs have seized up after three days of almost total inactivity. I look at the clock, up at the overcast sky and then finally down at the busy Muggle street below me. People are busy putting up their umbrellas and rushing around, finishing up what ever it is they are doing. Two o'clock and none of them were ready for the rain. I don't think anyone ever could be.

They never let me see her. Not once in all the time that she was in that place. Said it was too much of a risk – no one knows what the Dementors may have done to her.

Did she go mad? If she did, through all of that, did she know that I still loved her? Did she know that I thought of her every day and missed her more than anything in the world? That I would have gladly traded places with her at any time, just so I'd know that she'd be alright; just so she could live free? Just so she didn't have to be broken anymore? The brightest witch of our generation should have never been locked up. No matter what she did, she was the best of us all. Didn't that mean anything to anyone other than me?

The woman I love is leaving. God, won't you take her when she comes to your door? Please save me a place at her side.

The papers say she had to die so that the rest of us could value life more. Bullshit. I'd much rather be dead right now.

A piece of information to the world that I care nothing about: If an injury has been done to a man, it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

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__****YOU-KNOW-WHO DEAD! POTTER WINS!**

_**Severus Snape, spy, killed by Dark Lord**_

_The Wizarding World has seen the rise of two Dark Lords in the last century and now we have seen the fall of them both. First it was Grindelwald, defeated by Albus Dumbledore, and now the Dark Lord Voldemort, who has been plaguing the Wizarding community for the past seven years, has been bought to an end by Harry Potter, the only person who could kill him. _

_In a battle that took place yesterday at sun down on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, nearly a year after the murder of former Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the Dark Lord and his armies stormed the castle while the population of student and teachers were at dinner. _

_Harry Potter, who had been visiting redeemed Death-Eater and spy for the Light side, Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House, lead the school out onto the grounds, towards the approaching Dark Wizards. Snape (36) stood proudly by the side of Harry Potter until He-Who-Can-Now-Be-Named arrived. Reportedly in a bid to give Harry Potter a chance to prepare for the final confrontation, Snape faced his former master. However, it seemed that his luck had finally caught up with him, and he found himself not quick enough to dodge out of the way when Lord Voldemort sent a killing curse, hitting the elder man square in the chest. _

_What happened next is not clear, although a few of the student close by reported that Potter screamed in rage before running head first at Voldemort. A battle commenced. All that is known about this fight is that one minute Potter was on the ground, bleeding and most surely beaten, and the next he was standing, albeit a bit wobbly, on both feet, while the Dark Lord was writhing on the ground in pain, bleeding through the ears. When the tyrant stopped moving, Potter apparently bent down and put two fingers on the Dark Lord's neck (apparently, this is a Muggle way of checking if a person is alive or not), and then sent up a spray of black sparks, obviously indicating that the battle was over and that Potter had been victorious. _

_Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master – who was awarded an Order of Merlin, First class posthumously - and Head of Slytherin House; Herbology Professor and Head of Hufflepuff House, Pomona Sprout; Flying Professor Xamara Hooch, and fifty-two students, ranging from first year to sixth year were among the dead. They will all be buried on Hogwarts grounds the day after tomorrow and all have been welcomed by Harry Potter, who will be conducting the service, to come and pay their respects to those brave few who helped rid our world of an evil that has been plaguing us for too long. _

_We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Harry Potter for all he has done for the Wizarding World. _

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__****OBITUARY**

**_Severus Osidius Snape_**

_(Potions Master; Head of Slytherin House; Order of Merlin, First Class; Former Death Eater; Spy)_

_21st November, 1962 – 5th May, 1998_

_Aged 36 Years_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

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I breathe heavily in my scarf as I trudge slowly up the seemingly never ending hill. The air is cold, and the wind in whipping around me in such frenzy that I could feel it cutting into my unprotected cheeks and forehead. I pull my thick over coat tighter around me, wishing that I could disappear inside of it, instead of making this journey. **

I honestly don't even know why I am here. They told me that there is no point in coming here. They told me that I wouldn't get closure from the trip, just more questions and sorrows. But I didn't want closure; I wanted forgiveness. I wanted her to tell me that she forgave me. For doing nothing and keeping silent about everything. For not being the friend that she deserved. This imposed silence had been slowly eroding away at me for the past year.

When I found out what Dumbledore had done, was doing, I wanted to go and kill him there and then but she stopped me. I told her how he had been ordering people into battle knowing that they were going to die, banking on it even. How he was feeding information to a spy for Voldemort about where his people were going to be at any given time, setting them up for an ambush. He wasn't working for Voldemort, but he most definitely was not working against him. I wanted to kill the cold-hearted bastard with my bare hands but she held me back saying that I couldn't defeat Voldemort if I was in Azkaban. That I was needed too much.

Before, I couldn't speak a word of what happened, not even to myself. All I could do was think it, but now I find myself finally being able to talk about what went on three years ago, the diabolically brilliant plan that caused me to lose both a friend and a sister.

I just choose not to.

I can't tell Ron how I was the one who was the cause behind her incarceration. I can't tell him that it was me who orchestrated the whole damn thing, and yet got away scot-free. He wouldn't care about the fact that every day I carry with me more guilt now than I ever did when Voldemort was around. No, he would only see that it was me that lost him the love of his life. I hate myself for hiding this from him, but I just can't tell him.

I can't tell him because he is already dead inside and no-one but her will ever bring him back again.

I want to tell the Wizarding World the truth behind what really went on. The truth about how three students, fresh out of Hogwarts, planned and carried out the murder of their idol, their greatest paragon of light and strength throughout the war. I doubt they would believe me anyway - they hold too much stock in the innocence of their beloved Boy-Who-Lived. They would never understand why I thought it necessary to kill Albus Dumbledore.

But it was. He was the only thing standing between us and victory. His careful manipulations of the people around him cost us too many people in the last year of the battle. Too many decent people died because he chose to bend them solely to his own benefit and it just couldn't continue.

The plan was for me to go to Hogwarts one day, up to his office and kill him there and then. A quick, painless death that he did not in any way deserve, but would be granted to him. I never planned to tell Hermione what I was going to do, but she found out, as she always did, and stopped me. Told me that if I was somehow caught in the act, then the Wizarding World would lose to Voldemort; that I was the only thing standing between that monster, and total domination. She said she would take care of it.

And she did. She and Draco Malfoy - who had defected to the light side half way through our seventh year - did. According to what I managed to learn from different sources, they stormed his office late one night, killed him, and then set about looking for evidence as to what the old bastard had been up to. They just didn't encounter Minerva McGonagall coming up for a late night visit.

Everyday I think about what would have happened if it was me who had done the deed. Would anyone have actually believed that Harry Potter had killed his kindly headmaster and mentor, Albus Dumbledore? Would I have been able to literally get away with murder?

I'll never know.

And because I didn't take the chance to find out, we lost the brightest witch of our generation. We lost yet another Hogwarts student to the war. Ginny lost a best friend. Ron lost a lover. And I lost a sister. The war took so many great things from everyone, but my mistake - or was it cowardice? - took her away.

I look at my watch and then at the sky. Its two o'clock in the afternoon and the rain clouds are gathering above me. Preparing to walk away, I take one last look at the rock in front me, kiss my hand and press it firmly on the stone and whisper:

"Goodbye, my sister. With luck we shall see each other again in a more peaceful world."

As I walk away, my lips are moving once again. They spill out guidance to anyone around who cares to listen: Perfection is a dream sought after by those who will never amount to anything. This is life, not heaven. You don't have to be perfect.

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****_DUMBLEDORE'S KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH!_**

**_Traitor Granger finally getting what she deserves._**

_Just over three years since the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore was murdered at the hands of Hermione Granger; the date for her long-awaited execution has finally been set. In little over two days time Granger will be escorted into a little known chamber in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic where she will be given the Dementors Kiss. _

_Three years ago the public cried out for a public execution of the former Hogwarts student – something that hasn't been done in the Wizarding World since the Salem Witch Trials hundreds of years ago – but Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, refused their plea, saying: "Although the individual has committed a crime of insurmountable evil, the Wizarding World will not follow her example and take pleasure in the death of another. That said her execution will be swift and private. Only the executioner and an official of the Ministry will attend. May she be judged only by God for her crimes."_

_Malfoy, who joined Granger in the murder, killed himself three years ago in his cell in Azkaban. Reports say that the presence of the Dementors quickly drove him insane. It is not known what effect three years of solitary confinement in Azkaban has done to Granger, once the smartest witch of her age, but it is doubtful that she is in her right mind and thus will not care enough to protest the death sentence. _

_The Wizarding World has mourned the loss of a great and wonderful man for the last three years and we at the Daily Prophet wonder how many, if any, will lament the death of Hermione Granger, a once brilliant student whose want for knowledge drove her Dark. _

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__****OBITUARY**

_**Hermione Jane Granger **_

_(Gryffindor; Head Girl; Traitor)_

_1st September, 1979 – 1st September, 2000_

_Aged 21 Years_

_Azkaban Prison_

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****Ministry Execution Report** _

Filed by Percival Arthur Weasley, Assistant to the Minister of Magic. Witness and representative of the Ministry.

**Prisoner:**

#42779 / Granger, Hermione Jane

**Execution date and time:**

1st September, 2000. 1400 hours (as requested by prisoner)

**Prisoner's final request / words:**

'Non Nihi. Non Tibi. Sed Nobis.'

'Not for you. Not for me. But for us all.**' **

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